L.: Immunity through swarms: Agent-based simulations of the human immune system

Abstract. We present a swarm-based, 3-dimensional model of the hu-man immune system and its response to first and second viral antigen exposure. Our model utilizes a decentralized swarm approach with mul-tiple agents acting independently—following local interaction rules—to exhibit complex emergent behaviours, which constitute externally ob-servable and measurable immune reactions. The two main functional branches of the human immune system, humoral and cell-mediated im-munity, are simulated. We model the production of antibodies in response to a viral population; antibody-antigen complexes are formed, which are removed by macrophages; virally infected cells are lysed by cytotoxic T cells. Our system also demonstrates reinforced reaction to a previously encountered pathogen, thus exhibiting realistic memory response.